Twilight's Inferno

by PaulAsaran

Measures of Excess

The pair had moved well beyond the Lethe river. The tunnel they walked was covered in a strange brown moss that clung to their hooves almost like desperate claws. Twilight questioned this at first, but came to accept that it was probably some strange trick of the draconequus magic that filled the place. No, her attention was focused on her companion, who had hardly spoken at all since they’d left Limbo.

Sunset led the way, her head hanging low and her eyes focused. Her depression seemed but a memory, but the bitterness in her expression had Twilight worried. Even so, Sunset seemed to know exactly where she was going, choosing specific tunnels and passages without any hesitation.

Twilight had a lot on her mind. Sunset’s manner was a major topic, but she was also wondering about these ‘Lords’ they were supposed to get past. And Reddux… the name filled her with dread. The great dragon who had dueled Celestia to a draw. Somepony had managed to kill the monstrosity in her own timeline, but the fact that she would have to deal with him was the most worrying thing she’d heard since having been trapped here.

She would deal with that when she got there. Right now she had more immediate concerns, starting with Sunset. “Can I ask you a question?”

Her companion didn’t look back, but she nodded.

Twilight studied her. “Why did you change your mind?”

Sunset came to a stop, and Twilight followed suit. Her companion seemed to be thinking on the question. “The guardian wasn’t lying,” she declared at last, turning to face Twilight. “He has to know what pony belongs to what Lord, otherwise he would let the wrong ponies into Limbo.”

Twilight cocked her head. “So?”

“He couldn’t place you.” Sunset moved her head around as if to study Twilight from several angles. “He couldn’t name a Lord. That can only mean you don’t belong here.”

Twilight threw her hooves in the air. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all along!”

Sunset nodded. “I had no reason to believe you… until now.”

With a heavy sigh, Twilight asked, “I don’t see how that affects your decision.”

“Because…” Sunset turned away, head low. “If you don’t belong here, there might be a chance. Maybe you can escape. A pony who belongs here will never leave Tartarus, but you?”

She hesitated, and Twilight could sense her uncertainty. Moving about, Twilight gazed upon Sunset’s anxious face. “Are you okay?”

Sunset looked at her with lost eyes. She shifted, glanced away… then dropped to her belly and clutched at Twilight’s hooves. “Please, tell me you were being honest. Tell me you’ll bring me with you through the Gates. I would give anything to see sunlight again. I want to go home!”

Twilight wanted to step back from the prostrate pony, not comfortable at all with her manner. She saw Sunset’s big eyes and the desperation in them and felt her heart break. “Of course I’m taking you with me, I wouldn’t lie about something like that.”

“Really?” Sunset jumped up and pressed her face close to Twilight’s. “You mean it?”

Twilight pushed her back with a sheepish smile. “I mean it, Sunset. You help me find the Gates and I’ll take you with me to the overworld. Well get out of this together, you and me.”

Sunset let out a small gasp as she bowed her head once more. She choked down a sob, and Twilight could only gaze in wonder as, gradually, her former enemy regained a touch of her old colors. She was still decidedly grey, but there was just a hint of her original orange coat and red mane. Twilight half-expected to see a smile, but when Sunset looked up her lips were still set in a frown.

But there was hope.

“Thank you.” Sunset wrapped Twilight in a tight hug. “Thank you so much…”

Twilight relaxed, patting the pony on the back as she returned the hug. “You’re welcome. Don’t you worry, Sunset. I’d never leave a friend behind.”

Sunset stepped back, rubbing her eyes free of moisture. “F-friend? You and me?”

“Friend.” Twilight offered her hoof and a warm smile. “What do you say?”

Sunset leaned back on her hind legs, looking down at Twilight’s proffered hoof and chewing her lip. “It seems kinda soon for that. But…” She considered, then reached a slow, trembling hoof forward. She paused just short of touching Twilight. “You… you’re not going to abandon me at the last minute, are you?”

There was no accusation in Sunset’s words, only fear. She couldn’t meet Twilight’s eyes, and that was disturbing. Twilight leaned forward and touched Sunset’s hoof; her new friend gave a jerk as if shocked, her horrified eyes locking with Twilight’s.

“What kind of friend would I be if I did that?” Twilight patted Sunset’s hoof. “You’ve been down here far too long. But don’t you worry, we’ll get out of here. On my honor as a princess.”

A small gasp escaped Sunset’s lips and she jerked her hoof away. She dropped to a trembling crouch as she gaped at Twilight. “Y-you became a princess?”

Twilight blushed, reaching up to brush her mane self-consciously. “Err, well, I lost my crown just before I ended up here, but yes.” She opened her wings demonstrably. “Were these not a dead giveaway?”

But Sunset didn’t seem at all interested in Twilight’s wings, her gaze dropping to her hooves and a hurt expression on her face. “She made you a princess. Th-that’s what I was supposed to become. You actually made it. Why didn’t I make it?”

Twilight cringed; why hadn’t she seen this coming? She knelt at Sunset’s side and wrapped a wing about her. “Hey, it’s okay. Not being a princess is not a sign of your ability.”

“That’s easy for you to say.” Sunset shoved against Twilight with her shoulder, effectively freeing herself, and stood. She began to walk, head hanging low. “Come on, we need to keep going. The first Lord awaits.”

Twilight watched her go with a despondent sigh. It seemed like she’d finally managed to break through to Sunset, and now this. Making friends with her – again – wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d hoped. But Twilight held her head high and followed; this was just a temporary setback. There was nothing that couldn’t be solved with resolution and optimism, and she was determined to gain her old foe’s trust.

They’d get out of this terrible place together, and Twilight would go home feeling proud.

They’d crossed many strange places on route to the first Lord. First was a series of interwoven tunnels that seemed more like a beehive, but instead of honey the walls held toothpaste. Then they passed through a cavern with a small army of bouncing lamp posts, the ponies having to move carefully lest they find themselves beneath one. The third area had actually been scary at first; a series of large pools that appeared to be filled with blood. It turned out to just be tomato juice, but the clawed arms that grasped for them from within the pools were still legitimately creepy.

Twilight didn’t question these strange occurrences, for it was clear that the magic of the draconequus tomb was still strong in this area. She just hoped things would make more sense as they moved on.

She was curious about the lack of creatures along the path. When she asked Sunset about it, her guide claimed that most of Tartarus’ denizens preferred to stick together, although she did not know why. In this way the territories of the Lords acted as habitations, albeit only in the sense that many creatures lived in them. It was all rather fascinating for Twilight, and if the risks weren’t so great she might have lingered to study the residents more closely. Maybe when she got home she could commission a study on the Tartarus of her own world.

They just emerged from a veritable forest of massive poppies growing from the tunnel ceiling when Sunset paused. Twilight studied her worried face, then looked to see that the area ahead was made not from stone but a dark purple crystal.

“Wow.” Twilight trotted forward to get a closer look, gazing upon her reflected images in the bumpy surface of a wall. “I think I like this environment.”

Sunset approached at a slow pace, ears tucked. “The crystals marks the domain of the first Lord of Tartarus.”

Twilight blinked and took another look at Sunset, then followed her anxious gaze into the tunnel’s crystalline depths. “Oh… I guess I take it back?”

Sunset moved on, creeping as if she expected to be pounced upon at any second. Twilight eyed her and followed, quickly catching up so that she could walk beside her. “I guess I should have asked earlier, but who is the Lord of this area?”

Sunset gave her a fretful glance. “Sombra.”

Twilight almost tripped on her own hooves. “Sombra? You mean King Sombra, the tyrant of the Crystal Empire? That Sombra?”

Sunset opened her mouth but couldn’t form a proper response, so she just nodded.

Well… that made things a bit harder than Twilight was expecting. Just the thought that he was still alive stunned her. It took her several seconds to recall that this was a different world with a different past; she couldn’t assume that the defeated villains of Equestrian history were dead and gone.

Then again, apparently he had been defeated. Why else would he be trapped in Tartarus? Somepony had to have forced him down here! Perhaps Celestia? But it was still worrying, for if he was here then who else might she have to get past? Chrysalis and an army of changelings?

“You sure you don’t wanna go back?”

Sunset was watching her with a hawkish expression. Twilight shook off her momentary hesitation and took on a confident stride with head raised. “Of course not! I’ve dealt with Sombra before, I can do it again.”

“Dealt with him?” Sunset rolled her eyes. “Being trapped in Tartarus hasn’t made me stupid… yet. How could you have dealt with him when he was sent here over a thousand years ago?”

Twilight sighed. “I told you, I’m not from this world. Where I come from, Sombra was exiled to the Northern Wastes for a thousand years, but then he came back and we had to deal with him.” A thought made her pause, and she turned her face to the side to hide her blush. “Actually, I only got so far. My friend Spike had to finish the job.”

“Right.”

Twilight pouted as she watched Sunset move ahead. She wasn’t going to believe Twilight’s story so easily… not that Twilight blamed her. If their roles were reversed she probably wouldn’t have believed it, either. Maybe it didn’t matter; Sunset didn’t have to believe to help her escape, after all.

What did matter was that Twilight was the Princess of Friendship, and she was determined to make friends with Sunset. If she could encourage the pony and raise her spirits, perhaps she would have a future outside of Tartarus. She had to be down here for a reason, but maybe Celestia would be forgiving. Twilight would help her in this endeavor, make a new friend and – as an added bonus – prove her good intentions to this world’s Celestia.

What could go wrong?

Of course, they had to get out of Tartarus first. Twilight hurried to catch up, offering her guide a friendly smile. “I’m glad you came with me, Sunset. I dunno what I’d be doing without your help.”

Sunset huffed and turned her head away.

Twilight tried to ignore the reaction. “So this is Sombra’s place, huh? Just how many ‘Lords of Tartarus’ are there, anyway?”

Her guide gave a dejected sniff. “I already told you: seven.”

Oh boy, that was a few more than she’d expected. Twilight fought to maintain her smile and find a positive element to this. “And you got past all of them once, right? This won’t be so bad. Whoa…”

They had entered a large cavern that literally shimmered in the darkness. Small crystals embedded in the walls and ceiling shined like dim beacons, revealing a rocky landscape of crags and jagged spires. To the far right was an immense crevasse in the cavern floor. Twilight was tempted to go look inside, but it was far off and the distance was filled with dangerous-looking stalagmites. Even so, Twilight was mesmerized by the sheer splendor of the place. How could something so stunning be in a place as terrible as Tartarus?

Sunset shot her a dirty look and moved on, following a smooth path through the spiky scenery. “Beautiful, that’s what you’re thinking. Well go ahead, behold the works of Sombra. If you like it that much, maybe you can join it.”

Twilight cocked her head at the pony as she followed. “What do you mean, ‘join it’?”

Sunset said nothing, but after walking a short ways she pointed to a large crystal on the side of the path. Twilight’s eyes went to the thing and a gasp escaped her lips; there was a griffon trapped inside.

“Oh my…” She reared back and set her hooves to the hard surface so that she could get a better look. The griffon was locked in a battle pose, beak opened in a silent cry and claws pulled back for the kill, but its eyes were dull. “You mean Sombra did this?”

“That’s not all.” Sunset pulled her away and pushed her roughly down the path. She pointed, and Twilight’s eyes widened at the sight of ponies, griffons and nilgiri, all trapped in crystal.

“Holy Horseshoes.” Twilight wilted at the sight. “Why? Why would he do this?”

Sunset walked by, head low and eyes harsh. “When somepony tries to take his crystals, Sombra punishes the culprit by making them crystals themselves. He then saps away their life energies with his magic and uses that energy to create even more crystal.”

“W-what?” Twilight found herself taking anxious steps away from the shimmering spires that surrounded their path. “Y-you mean…”

“That’s right.” Sunset turned and reared back to spread her hooves wide. “Everything you see was created by Lord Sombra using the lives of his victims. Behold the artistry of evil, Twilight. Every crystal here is little more than solidified soul, life made physical. Sombra loves his crystals, and he is always trying to make more.”

Twilight shivered; she didn’t find this place so attractive anymore.

“But that’s not the worst part of it,” Sunset added, walking over to a particularly large crystal that held two ponies standing in close proximity. She waited until Twilight was close before rapping her hoof against the smooth surface. Twilight gave her a skeptical look, but at Sunset’s gesture she leaned close and peered.

Eyes shifted.

A terrified gasp flew from Twilight’s lips as she backed up. “Th-they’re still alive?”

Sunset turned away from the crystals, head low as she resumed walking. “The crystals are made from their life energy, and they are trapped in the crystals. They never really die, but I can’t imagine the state their minds must be in.”

Twilight swallowed the lump in her throat and followed, body low as she eyed the creatures trapped just a few short feet away. “I knew Sombra was evil, but I never imagined…”

The path took them to the edge of a wide pit, which it circled for some time. As they continued Sunset asked, “So do you wanna go back yet?”

Though her body shivered at the sight of a pegasus stuck in a stalactite over their heads, Twilight forced herself to stand tall once more. “Never. I don’t care how evil Sombra is, we can get past him.”

Sunset nodded to the pit without pausing. “You might end up like them.”

Twilight blinked, but hesitated to look. What other terrors were down here? If Sunset was trying to worry her… it was working. But her curiosity got the better of her, and Twilight looked anyway.

She wished she hadn’t.

The bottom of the pit was covered in thin, crystalline spikes. Ponies and other creatures were there, impaled upon the things where they had fallen. Some were already dead, but many were in far worse shape; crystals jabbing through legs and torsos, holding them in place but not killing them. There were no screams. Perhaps they’d been down there so long that they didn’t have the energy for it anymore.

Twilight's ears perked to a call in some language she didn’t recognize. She caught sight of a lone nilgiri who, by some miracle, had managed to avoid falling on any of the spikes. He stared up at her, eyes pleading. It was obvious that any attempt to move would see him injured; he’d never get out of that pit alive.

He called again, and Twilight started to open her wings, but Sunset shoved them down with a snarl.

She got in Twilight's face and shook her. “Are you crazy?”

“But he needs help.” Twilight tried to turn away but couldn’t escape Sunset’s hold.

“This is Tartarus.” Her guide dragged her away from the edge of the pit, ignoring the poor creature’s cries. “You have no idea why he’s down here. He might kill you the instant he’s out of the pit. You can’t rescue everypony.”

Twilight winced as the nilgiri’s calls grew desperate. “But… I…”

Sunset pulled her along the path as it finally moved away from the pit. “Forget it, Twilight. All roads lead to pain and suffering, but that road will see you live an eternity of torture. You can’t afford to be kind.”

Anger boiled within Twilight. She shoved the pony back and turned to the pit. “He deserves a chance! You might have lost all sense of decency, but I—”

She let out a surprised yelp as Sunset caught her by the mane and practically threw her against the smooth surface of a nearby crystal. Before Twilight could respond she was pressed against it, her face unsettlingly close to that of a trapped unicorn.

“Do you wanna die?” Sunset’s voice was a vicious snarl. “Do you want to end up like that mare? Or skewered on those spikes?”

Twilight’s heart leapt into her throat when the frozen mare’s eyes shifted towards her, but she refused to let her fear be obvious. “Sunset, if you don’t let me go right—”

“Shut up and listen.” Sunset pressed her a little tighter against the wall. Twilight could have easily knocked her away with any number of spells… but she held back. She didn’t know why, but she let Sunset speak.

“I don’t know where you got these ideas of ‘decency’, but you had best lose them right now.” Sunset leaned against Twilight to speak into her ear. “You have seven lords to get past, and not a single one of them gives a flying feather about your morals. The closest thing to ‘decency’ they’ll offer is to ask how you want to die.

"So what’ll it be, princess? Smashed under some rocks? Spending the rest of eternity caught in a windstorm? Maybe you’d like to have your horn ripped out of your skull, or your eyes plucked out. One of the lords is particularly fond of ramming spikes up mares’ clits till they stick out their mouths.”

That last one made Twilight squirm a little and tuck her tail between her legs. “W-why are you telling me this…?” Sunset stepped away, and Twilight took a moment to stretch out the kink that had been put into her back from the pressure.

When she turned around she found Sunset watching her with a piercing stare. “To help you see what you’re up against. The Lords are the most powerful, cruel and menacing monsters in Tartarus. If you want to get past them, you don’t have time to worry about other prisoners. They’ll take advantage of it, and then you’ll be nothing more than one of their pets.”

Twilight hesitated, her eyes going back to the pit. “I… I hear what you’re saying, but you can’t ask me to just abandon a part of who I am.”

Sunset turned her head away with a huff. “I’m not asking you to do anything. I’m telling you that if you keep it up, death will be the least of your worries. And here’s one more thing I’m gonna tell you: you go back for that guy, and I’m going back to Limbo.”

Twilight’s shoulders slumped. “W-what? Just like that? After we got past the river and the serpent?”

Sunset pressed her muzzle against Twilight’s, her eyes flashing with anger. “I’ll swim in the accursed river and forget all about you! I didn’t decide to come along just so I could watch my only chance of escaping this prison get herself killed.”

Twilight glowered and shoved her back. “So it’s all about you, is it?”

“That’s right.” Sunset turned from Twilight with her head held high. “I don’t care about you. I’d leave you behind in an instant if I thought it would let me go home. But it won’t; I need you and you need me. So either you straighten up and we move together, or you keep acting ‘decent’ and we both spend the rest of our lives in here.”

That angry fire smoldered in Twilight’s brain as she glared at her old foe. Perhaps it would have been better if she’d left her to rot in Limbo in the first place. She thought maybe this Sunset was different from the one she knew, but clearly that was an error. If anything, this was a clear indication that she deserved to be stuck in Tartarus.

Twilight shook her head, trying to banish such angry thoughts from her mind. She was the Princess of Friendship, and such ideas were not appropriate. She’d helped Sunset change her ways once, she could do it again. She just needed time.

Sunset shifted, though she didn’t lose her proud pose. “Well?”

Twilight eyed her, then the pit. Her heart said to help the nilgiri, and that voice was powerful. Twilight prided herself on practical and analytical thinking, however, and her brain was saying she should leave well enough alone. Sunset was right, there was no telling how he’d come to be trapped in Tartarus, and what if Sunset kept her word and left over this?

It was not a risk she could chance. Guilt swelled within her, but she forced herself to face away from the pit. “We better keep going.”

Sunset turned to shoot her a skeptical look, but then gained that impertinent smirk Twilight remembered so very well. “Good.” She turned and flicked Twilight’s horn with a hoof, making her step back with a wince. “We need to do things my way, because that’s the only way either of us are getting out of here. Now come on, we’ve got a long journey ahead.”

Twilight sneered after her, rubbing her horn tenderly before following. “Let’s get something straight, Sunset: we’re in this together. You better not be thinking about me doing all the hard work.”

“Oh, don’t be silly.” Sunset shot her a grin. “Of course you are.”

Twilight’s head lowered ominously. “I could just leave you here.”

“And you probably should,” Sunset acknowledged. “But you won’t, because if you do then there will be nopony to show you how to get out of Tartarus. It’s a long way to the top, but take a wrong turn and you’ll be stuck here for a lot longer.”

A growl escaped unbidden from Twilight’s throat. Friendship. She kept reminding herself, she was the Princess of Friendship. She just had to keep trying and this would work out. “If you’re coming along, you should be more than a glorified guide. Can you at least tell me about the lords as we get to them?”

Sunset made an unpleasant sound which was clearly aimed at Twilight. “I walked all the way down to Limbo from the Gates, slipping past every one of the Lords as I did. Granted, going down is much easier than going up, but the point is I do know a lot. Obviously I would have to tell you about them, how else would you be of any use getting past them?”

Twilight trotted to catch up and give Sunset a threatening look. “Would you stop acting all high and mighty? Don’t forget that you are also dependent upon me to get out of here.” Her expression softened as she stood in Sunset’s way. “We can’t make it if we’re constantly bickering. We’re supposed to be on the same side. Come on, Sunset, I need to know I can count on you. We’re a team now.”

All she received for her trouble was a withering glance and a bump on the shoulder as Sunset shoved past. “Keep telling yourself that.”

With a sigh and shoulders slumped, Twilight watched her go. This wasn’t going to be easy…

The path had been long and winding, and often split in several directions. Twilight imagined getting lost amongst all the crystalline scenery – and accompanying prisoners – would be fairly easy, so despite her misgivings she was glad to have Sunset as a guide. The pony led her through tunnels and caverns, always following the massive crevasse on their right. At one point they even walked on a thin, dangerous ledge that took them some ways down into the thing before leading into a cave system.

Now they were walking along a curious formation at the crevasse’s edge, a tunnel in which the right side was open to the depths. The surface of the crystal here was smooth and polished, and for once there were no ponies held captive in the walls. A wind blew cold air at their backs, strong enough to make their manes flit about but not strong enough to affect their movement.

In spite of how it was created, Twilight had been amazed by the scenery at first. By now she was tired of it. The next level would be a welcome reprieve from all the sameness of this place.

The trip hadn’t been quiet. Twilight was eager to keep Sunset talking in the mild hope that she might open up a little and become more friendly. The plan hadn’t worked so far, but it wasn’t without its benefits; much of the time had been spent with Sunset teaching Twilight about Sombra. It was proving very enlightening.

“Wow.” Twilight brushed her windswept mane from her face as they walked along the wall far from the ledge. “He actually thought he could invade Equestria? When all the Empire’s food came from there? What was he thinking?”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “That he could take the fertile North to feed his armies before winter hit. With Equestria’s armies in griffon lands, it seemed like a sound plan. But Celestia was ready for him, of course, and in the end his entire Kingdom would go through the winter starving. Celestia launched a counterattack the next Spring with her well-fed reserves.”

“So Sombra lost and ended up down here.” Twilight eyed the walls with disdain. “I guess he got what he deserved here, too. It just goes to show that corruption doesn’t pay.”

Sunset shot her a frown. “How do you not know any of this? Not only is it basic Equestrian history, it’s something I imagine Celestia’s prized pupil—” that with no small amount of bitterness, “—would have to be an expert on.”

“I keep telling you I don’t belong here.” Twilight heaved a frustrated sigh and gestured to her wings, which she opened wide to demonstrate. “Honestly, are the wings not enough of a giveaway? I come from an entirely different version of Equestria.”

“And I keep telling you,” Sunset countered, “I have no idea how long I’ve been down here. You could have become an alicorn centuries ago for all I know. Tartarus seems to have a way of keeping creatures alive for a long while.”

“I don’t know how long you’ve been down here either, but it can’t have been that long.” Twilight took a moment to think on the timeline in her own world. Assuming things went about as they did with her and the other Sunset… “A few years, maybe.”

The thought was sobering. “A few years.” She gave Sunset a wide-eyed look. “Now that I think on it, I’m amazed you lasted as long as you did without completely losing it.”

“Who’s to say I haven’t?” Sunset lowered her head with a sigh. “Maybe this whole ordeal is some vivid dream I’m having after getting sucked into the rocks of Limbo.”

Twilight winced, though she couldn’t be sure why. “I’m pretty sure you’re not dreaming. But I must admit, if this were—” She paused, Sunset’s hoof having come up to block her path. She eyed her companion, who was peering ahead with a brooding expression. “Sunset?”

Sunset nodded at the area before them. It took Twilight a moment to notice the bridge in the far distance. It crossed the crevasse, but the interesting thing was the torrential column of clouds that rose at its side. It was a tornado. A real tornado, in a cave!

Twilight gaped; she hadn’t even paused to wonder where the winds were coming from. “H-how is that even possible?”

“Who knows?” Sunset pointed to a spot in the distance where the tunnel curved left, away from the crevasse and into the hard crystal. “The path will circle around a bit.” Her hoof followed a circular route until it pointed to the tornado. “Then it will take us to The Edge of Adulation – that’s the bridge.”

Twilight’s head tilted as she eyed the thin-looking structure in the distance. “That’s an… interesting name.”

Sunset leveled an ominous look at Twilight. “But first we have to get past Miser’s Mound. That’s where Sombra usually stays.”

Twilight eyes shifted ahead, then turned back to the bridge. “That seems awfully risky. Why don’t I just fly us there?”

A frustrated sound passed through Sunset’s lips. “Because the gusts will blow you straight into the Winds of Passion.” At Twilight’s confused look she thrust a hoof over the cliff. “The tornado!”

“Oooh.” Twilight glanced at her wings and drooped. “Well, I must admit I’m not the best flier…”

“Then you definitely shouldn’t try it,” Sunset declared, moving on. “I’m pretty sure even skilled veterans have trouble with that thing.”

Twilight cast another pouting look at her wings before trudging after her. All of a sudden she really missed Rainbow Dash. No flying lessons would teach her how to fly through a tornado, though, and Twilight wasn’t about to try. If she was ever going to see her friend again she needed to avoid taking big risks.

Not that she felt any better about facing Sombra…

“Okay,” Sunset said as they rounded the corner, “here’s the deal. Sombra’s territory stops at The Edge of Adulation. If we get past the bridge he won’t follow us. The Lords don’t cross into one another’s territories unless they absolutely must.”

Twilight raised her head and tried to sound confident. “Got it, the bridge is the goal.”

They continued on in silence, neither wanting to announce their approach. Twilight tried to banish her thoughts of Rainbow Dash; she needed to focus on the task ahead. She knew, from personal experience and the stories told by Sunset, that Sombra was not somepony to be trifled with. She thought back on her repertoire of spells that she might use, but deep down she hoped she could slip past without a fight.

The tunnel gradually curved to the right and an unfamiliar sound filled the air. Twilight couldn’t be sure what she was hearing, but there was a lot of grinding and groaning going on.

The encased bodies were back. Ponies trapped in crystal pillars, nilgiri sealed in the walls. More than anything, though, was diamond dogs. Dozens of them. Were they a favorite target of Sombra, perhaps? Twilight sucked down a calming breath and tried not to imagine being stuck as a living statue for the rest of eternity.

The tunnel opened up to a large cave ahead, and the companions slowed their pace. Sunset sidestepped to the wall on the left and gestured for Twilight to do the same. They moved towards the end of the tunnel and peered into the cave, which glimmered with all the splendor of a royal palace! For a brief moment Twilight felt as if she were gazing into the Crystal Castle.

Then she saw the massive hill, which Twilight could only assume was the Miser’s Mound, and her appreciation faded. It stood in the center of the area, so tall as to almost touch the glittering, stalactite-laden ceiling. The entire thing was made up of massive crystal boulders and sat in what appeared to be a bubbling, steaming silver pool. Large crystals floated in the liquid, new ones occasionally bobbing up from beneath the surface.

The source of the strange sounds was now readily apparent; diamond dogs. The poor creatures covered the structure like ants, all busy with what struck Twilight as rather pointless tasks. Most were struggling in teams of two or three to shove the massive crystals up to the top of the mound, an activity that was clearly very difficult. When a team at last managed to get their crystal to the top of the mound they would hurry to the bottom and use long poles to push the floating crystals onto the mound’s edge. Then they would grab the crystal and begin the arduous task of pushing the heavy thing up the mound.

“Why are they doing that?” Twilight whispered, tilting her head as she peered at the unproductive display. “They’re almost to the top of the cave.”

Sunset shook her head, her response a soft whisper. “The Miser’s Mound floats atop a pool of molten lead. With every crystal added to the mound, one at the bottom breaks loose and floats to the top of the pool. It’s an endless cycle, perpetuated by the dogs’ determined desire to not lose a single crystal. It’s a punishment of their own making, orchestrated by him.”

Twilight stepped out just enough to see where Sunset was pointing. Worry filled her at the sight of King Sombra, the dark unicorn sitting on a crystal throne that contained the trapped bodies of four prostrate mares. He was gazing upon the Miser’s Mound with a demented, wicked grin and eyes glowing. He was still one of the most intimidating ponies Twilight had ever laid eyes on, even without his cape and his mane hanging limp over his hard face.

But Twilight’s fear was outweighed by the questions running through her mind. She followed his gaze to the mound, then stepped back to whisper in Sunset’s ear, “What’s wrong with him? He’s just… staring.”

“He’s been down here at least a thousand years,” Sunset replied. “The chaotic magics of the draconeqii has sapped his mind to insanity. All he cares about is the crystals.” She gestured to the Miser’s Mound. “So now he spends most of his time watching them work, to ensure that not a single crystal is stolen.”

Twilight tapped her chin, eyes roaming the cave. “So where’s the exit?”

Sunset let out a small huff, the tiniest hint of a laugh. “Other side of the mound, of course.”

“Of course.” Twilight took another cursory glance at the cave, then eyed King Sombra. “There’s nothing to hide behind. How are we supposed to get past without being seen?”

“I have no idea.”

Twilight frowned at her companion. “Come on, you did it once, didn’t you?”

Sunset shook her head, and Twilight was surprised to see an apologetic expression on her face. “He doesn’t care about ponies going down to Limbo. If I were a greedy pony I’d have remained here, for all ponies stop at the level they were meant for. It’s… natural. But I’m not greedy, and I didn’t try to take any crystals, so Sombra let me pass without trouble. Going back up, on the other hoof…”

Twilight sat next to the wall, head hanging low as she tried to think. “What are we going to do?”

“You’re an alicorn princess,” Sunset reminded her with a glower. “Why don’t you just go duel him?”

The thought made Twilight’s blood run cold. “Are you crazy? He’s Sombra, one of the most powerful unicorns in history! I’ve not been a princess for very long, I’d need a lot more time to develop my strength before I could fight somepony like him.”

Sunset raised a critical eyebrow before turning to look around the corner at the Lord of Tartarus. “Funny, I thought you’d be braver than that.”

Twilight fought down her anger. “We’ve got six more lords to go through. I am not wasting all my energy fighting against the first one. We need something—”

“Stop!”

She blinked, caught off guard by the shout. Her eyes went to the Miser’s Mound just in time to see one of the diamond dogs abandon his partner – the source of the cry – and the crystal they had been pushing. The dog ran down the shimmering mountain, a small gem clutched in each paw as he leapt over the molten pool. He landed on the solid ground and bounded for Twilight and Sunset, a desperate glint in his eye.

He only got a few steps before a black beam struck him, knocking him off his feet. He landed on his stomach and tried to scramble for the tunnel once more, but another beam struck the ground in front of him. A massive crystal formed on the spot, and he covered his face just in time for the thing to erupt in an explosive shower of small diamonds.

He fell onto his back, yelping in pain as dozens of shards pierced his body. Twilight covered her lips to avoid shouting in alarm and fear for the poor creature, watching as blood began to pool beneath him. Even now, injured beyond mobility, his paw was reaching desperately for one of the dropped crystals.

Heavy hoofsteps announced Sombra’s approach. Twilight and Sunset retreated deeper into the tunnel, but remained close enough to watch. Soon the Lord of Tartarus appeared, looming over the enfeebled diamond dog. They couldn’t see his face for the long mane that covered it, but judging by how the dog began to squirm it couldn’t have been a kind one.

“You would dare to steal from me?”

Even when his words were soft, Sombra’s deep voice resonated within Twilight’s mind. She shivered and ducked low, praying the villain wouldn’t notice them in the shadows.

“Mine…” The diamond dog at last managed to grab the crystal in his good paw. He began to crawl away from Sombra and towards the tunnel, obsession and determination in his face. “You can’t have. I work for it. It’s my gem!”

Sombra’s head slowly lifted, revealing a calm but ominous frown and simmering eyes that radiated that green glow Twilight vaguely recalled.

He let the dog flee for several seconds.

Then, his expression completely unchanged, Sombra fired a black and green beam from his horn. The dog was encased in the magical energies and lifted squirming off the floor.

“No, I won’t give it back. It’s mine!”

“You like my crystals?” Sombra’s eyes narrowed as the dog floated a little closer and turned to face him. “Then you shall have them.”

Twilight watched in quiet horror as a crystal began to form beneath the dog, rising up to encase the creature’s legs. It screamed and thrashed with its arms to no avail; the crystal kept growing. “No! I’m dog, not crystal! Dog!”

Sombra’s frown became a soft, calming smile. “Relax. Now you’ll always be near the crystals. That’s what you want, is it not?”

The crystal was up to the dog’s chest now, catching his upper arms in a steely embrace. The dog howled and raised his hand, protecting the stone he held even as the rest of his body froze. Within seconds the howling came to a stop, mouth opened wide where the stone had locked it into place.

Still that lone paw remained free, clutching at the crystal.

Sombra approached to study his captive with a critical eye. He observed the free paw, smiled… and fired a beam that sliced it off at the wrist. No sound escaped the trapped dog, but the act still had Twilight squirming and holding her breath. Blood poured down the side of the crystal, but only for the second it took for the stone to grow over the wound.

Sombra lifted the paw with his magic, pried the fingers apart and took the gem. He waved the paw before the encased dog’s face before tossing it over his shoulder into the lead pool. He turned about to face the Miser’s Mound. “You two! Place him somewhere appropriate on the road to Limbo. Let him be a warning.”

Two diamond dogs at the bottom of the mound dropped their poles and bounded over the pool, yelping like frightened pups. They grabbed the crystal holding their frozen comrade and began to push it towards the tunnel.

“Oh no…” Twilight took an alarmed step back, eyes darting about. “Where do we go? We need to hide.”

But Sunset raised her leg in a silencing motion. “Don’t worry, they don’t care about us. We only have to worry about the big guy.”

Resisting the urge to flee, Twilight watched the two dogs come closer. They strained to drag the large crystal across the smooth floor, and the two ponies made sure to stay well out of their way. Sunset’s prediction proved accurate as the dogs continued to move past without so much as a glance their way.

Twilight pressed a hoof to her heart and sucked in a relieved breath, but her attention went back to the mound. Sombra, oblivious to the watchers, was making his way to the lead pool. He was watching the lone dog who had been abandoned by the thief and was straining to hold the large crystal they’d been pushing. The dog’s legs were wobbling and the boulder-sized crystal threatened to crush him, but none came to his aid.

In fact he was all but ignored by his fellows. Twilight eyed them with no small amount of worry. “They won’t help him. What’s going on?”

Sunset silenced her with a sharp gesture. “If we’re lucky, we’re about to get a chance to move.”

Twilight’s query was cut short by the dog’s loud yelp as he finally slipped, the crystal dropping on top of him. He fell, his rolling and bouncing on the hard mound making Twilight wince. He hit the bottom at the edge of the pool, the crystal landing loudly next to him.

The cave was filled with silence. The other dogs had all stopped to watch the event. Some appeared to want to go to him, but none dared. Twilight saw so many emotions; alarm, anger, hesitation.

Fear.

There was a certain intensity to the air as Sombra paused by the lead pool just opposite the fallen diamond dog. The tense sensation seeped into Twilight’s mind. She found herself crouching and shivering, but her anxiety wasn’t for her own sake. She watched as the dog looked up at Sombra; there was horror in the creature’s eyes. It tried to stand and collapsed on its side with a yelp that echoed in the quiet cave.

A dark aura covered the dog as he was lifted off the floor. He squirmed and struggled, paws at his throat as he dangled over the lead pool.

“You see this pathetic worm, you dogs?” Even when mocking, there was a frightening bite to Sombra’s voice. “He let his eyes off his partner. Now he is worthless to me. You all recall what happens to the worthless, don’t you?”

The other dogs averted their eyes. Some visibly shivered. The victim was crying, a faint howl coming out of his strained throat. He began to drop, a slow, steady descent. His legs kicked wildly, but it was no use. When he touched the molten lead a scream forced its way out of his lungs.

Twilight dropped to her belly and covered her ears, but she couldn’t get that scream out of her head. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t block the sound. The shrieks resounded in her mind, piercing and mind-numbing as the dog dropped, inch by slow inch, to his doom. Many of the dogs were cowering just like Twilight. Only Sunset stood tall and watched, lips set in a solemn frown as she glared at the scene.

The gradual execution seemed to take forever. Twilight closed her eyes, but the image was sealed on the back of her eyelids. Eventually – blessedly – the dog’s screams came to a stop. Though it took all her willpower, Twilight forced her eyes open and felt a chill run down her spine; the dog was covered to his chest, eyes wide and mouth opened, but completely silent. He stared up at Sombra, tears streaking down his face.

“Let this one serve as an example to you all,” Sombra declared in a calm but ominous voice. “You are all my property, but only so long as you are worth something. Keep an eye on your fellow slaves, for their inevitable treachery will be treated as yours.” The dark aura around the dog faded, and the creature sank beneath the molten surface without a sound.

A lingering quiet filled the room.

“So what are you waiting for? Back to work!”

The dogs all resumed their activities, eyes averted from their monstrous master.

Sunset lowered herself so she was even with Twilight. “This is our chance.”

Twilight looked up at Sunset, who had locked her eyes on the back of Sombra’s head. There was an intensity in her gaze that spoke of determination and anger.

“This is a shame.”

Twilight looked to Sombra once more, who was already heading back to his throne. “Now I’ll need to find two more slaves.”

Sunset stood. “Follow my lead.”

She started to head for the mound, but Twilight caught her by the tail and pulled her back. “What are you doing? Did you not see that?”

Sunset jerked her tail free and pressed her muzzle against Twilight’s. “Get over it. Now. If this is enough to stop you then you’ll never get out of Tartarus. Now come on.” She forced Twilight to her hooves and turned back to the cave.

Twilight’s legs shook and her heart was hammering. “Y-you’re not planning on just walking out into the open, are you?”

Her guide nodded, expression grim. “I know what I’m doing. We can get through this. He won’t attack, I guarantee it.”

“But how can you be—hey!” Before Twilight could respond, she found herself grabbed and thrust out into the open. She locked her legs and stared at Sombra with wide eyes, but the former tyrant was still going back to his throne and hadn’t noticed her. A second later Sunset was walking past, making straight for Miser’s Mound.

Twilight hurried to catch up, making sure to keep Sunset between her and Sombra. “W-why aren’t we running?”

“Just be quiet.” Sunset increased her speed to a gallop and leapt over the pool. Twilight hesitated before doing the same. She watched in mild surprise as her partner began to push the same boulder the deceased diamond dog had just dropped.

“What are you…?”

“Get down here!” Sunset grabbed her and made her stand beside her. “Help me get this thing up there.”

Twilight had no idea what was going on, but at the moment her only choice was to follow Sunset’s lead. Her eyes went to Sombra, who was back on his throne and watching the newcomers with a hawkish gaze. He said nothing as the two mares struggled to get the crystal up the mound.

“I don’t… don’t get it.” Twilight was already huffing from the exertion; the crystals were even heavier than they looked. “Why isn’t he… attacking?”

Sunset seemed to be faring even worse, her legs trembling with the effort. “He doesn’t care… who does the work… as long as it’s done.”

“Seriously?” Twilight tried to make sense of this, but it was proving difficult. “He’s not the least bit… concerned about two… ponies randomly showing up to… to take the place of two diamond dogs?”

“He’s not… not thinking rationally,” Sunset reminded her, straining with Twilight to get the crystal over a particularly difficult part of the mound. “Dra… Draconequus magic, remember?”

Twilight took a moment to wipe the sweat from her brow. “And what… do you plan for us… to do when we get to the… to the top?”

“Go for a crystal… on the other side.” Sunset grimaced as her legs slipped on the smooth ground. “Once we’re at the… the bottom, make a break for it.”

“That’s your plan?” Twilight glanced at the surrounding diamond dogs, but they were ignoring the duo. “It didn’t work for the… for the dog, what makes… makes you think it would work… for us?”

They glanced in unison at Sombra. He was still peering at them, lips set in an ominous frown. Twilight couldn’t know what he was thinking, but she was sure she didn’t want to have those eyes on her for the rest of eternity.

Sunset gave Twilight a look that combined aggravation with worry. “I don’t… suppose you have a… a better idea?”

Twilight nodded. “Do you… know that teleportation spell I… I used back in Limbo?”

Sunset’s ears folded back and she bit her lip. “I haven’t used… that spell in an eternity. I… I don’t know if… if I can do it again.”

Twilight nodded. “Then leave it to me.”

It took a long while to push the crystal up the mound. They had to stop on several occasions, both for brief rests and to make room for the diamond dogs. Space grew sparse as they neared the top, and they were forced to stand still and struggle to keep the crystal in place while the dogs ahead of them reached the top first. Neither of the pair were used to such a high level of physical labor, and they were beginning to wear out. Twilight suggested using her magic to carry the thing, but Sunset shut the idea down quickly; Sombra would almost certainly lash out at that, for “Their pain was his pleasure.”

The sinister pony eventually stopped watching Twilight and Sunset and returned to his pleased vigil over the entire process. Twilight was relieved by this, considering she had begun to wonder if she didn’t have holes bored into her head from his staring. Even so, the memories of that dog’s screams continued to echo in her mind. She wouldn’t be comfortable until she was well out of his territory.

At long last they reached the top, their crystal settling neatly between two others. The unicorns sagged and took a few seconds to recover. Yet they knew there was no time to waste, for Sombra was already looking up at them with a suspecting glower. No rest for the weary; Twilight had to act before he did. She eyed the wall opposite where they’d entered and quickly spotted the tunnel leading out of the cave.

She leaned over to Sunset and helped her stand. “Get ready to bolt.” Sunset nodded even as she sucked down a big gulp of air.

Sombra, visible in the corner of Twilight vision, stood. “Why have you two stopped working?”

“Time to go.” Twilight focused, requiring only a second to cast the spell. Her world was engulfed in violet.

An instant later she and Sunset were just within the tunnel opening.

“Thieves!” Sombra’s furious cry made Twilight jump.

“Go, go, go!” She kicked off and fled down the tunnel, Sunset hot on her heels. They were still worn out from their climb up Miser’s Mound, and Twilight had no doubt Sombra would be able to catch up. She glanced back and let out a small cry at the sight of black smoke forming about the tunnel behind them.

Sunset moved to block her view, eyes wide. “Don’t look back, just go!”

Sombra’s enraged face appeared in the smoke, then his whole body as he was carried forward by rapidly-growing crystals beneath his hooves.

“Thieves! What did you take?”

Twilight leapt aside as a black beam flashed over her shoulder, bouncing wildly in the reflective crystal surface.

Heart pounding in her ears and breath coming in gasps, Twilight let Sunset move ahead and projected a barrier just in time to deflect another powerful blast. The hit was so hard her horn stung. She looked back to see the villain catching up. “We didn’t take anything, leave us alone!”

“Keep talking,” Sunset snapped between breaths. “That’ll slow him down.”

Twilight had no time to counter the sarcasm, she was too busy trying to keep her barrier intact after a second shot. When she felt the wind and spotted the tunnel exit she let out a whoop of joy. “We’re almost there. We can make it!”

“Give. It. Back!”

Black smoke swirled about their hooves and a stream of lasers fired off around them. The crystal surface was fading as they approached the edge of Sombra’s domain; they were so close!

“What was I thinking, what was I thinking, what was I thinking?” Sunset’s head was low and tears were streaming down her cheeks as crystals began to form and erupt all around them.

The tunnel opening loomed, the swirling winds of the tornado engulfing the view to their left. Sombra’s howl of rage only furthered Twilight’s determination and confidence. She ignored the pain in her legs and horn and focused on the bridge. They could do this. They were going to escape!

Smoke billowed up over their faces. Sunset let out a scream, but Twilight pressed on. “Keep going, Sunset. Don’t stop!” She looked back just in time to see Sombra rear back on his crystal conveyance, eyes shining green and fangs flashing in the light of his own horn. A thick column of cloud flew from around him, but Twilight’s view was lost as she burst out of the smoke and onto the bridge. She caught sight of Sunset just a little ahead and to her right…

And realized.

“Look out!”

Twilight altered course and knocked Sunset sideways just as the cloud column burst out of the tunnel. It struck the ground beside her and instantly transformed into a massive black crystal. Twilight saw the expanding glow from within and instinctually threw up her barrier just in time for the thing to erupt in a shower of shards.

Even with her shield, the force of the blast sent Twilight reeling. She heard Sunset shout as she lost her balance and fell backwards off the bridge.

Terror filled Twilight. The structure rose rapidly above her. Winds battered her and heart her shoved its way into her throat. Yet it was a temporary fear, brought on by a lifetime of living as a unicorn; within seconds she recalled her new form and relaxed.

“Wings, don’t fail me now.” Rainbow’s lessons flitting through her mind, Twilight spread her wings…

...and was instantly sucked into the tornado.

Spreading her wings had made it easier for her to be caught up in the winds, and soon she was tumbling wildly in the blinding gale. She screamed, flapping wildly as she fought for some kind of solution.

Twilight wasn’t at all ready for flying in something like this. She was twisting and shifting and being blown about like a doll, every attempt to straighten herself foiled by another random gust! Her stomach churned from the wild motions and panic began to set in. She didn’t know where she was in relation to the bridge… or to anything! She couldn’t see through the furious clouds, couldn’t hear for the deafening roar.

Then she noticed something that brought her mind back into focus: she wasn’t alone. Ponies, griffons, diamond dogs, all manner of creatures were flying about her! Was this another one of Tartarus’ strange punishments? Was she going to be trapped in this vortex of insanity forever? She flapped her wings, struggling to avoid a collision as more and more creature filled her view. It was hopeless; every flap of her wings sent her in a completely random direction!

“Oh goddess… Rainbow, I really wish you were here right now!”

Something smashed into her side and held on to her hind legs. It was an orange... unicorn? Maybe at one time, but his horn had been snapped off close to the head. She looked down, expecting to see fear or panic in his eyes. What she saw instead was… something else. Her breath caught in her throat as he began to pull himself up to her hindquarters, excited eyes locked on the spot between her legs.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” She fired a beam that struck him in the chest and sent him flying. With cheeks burning, Twilight tried once more to direct her flight, but it was no use. She barely managed to avoid a pair of ponies and a minotaur locked in a lewd position, and she suddenly felt a very new kind of horror.

Were all the creatures in here consumed by lust?

The Winds of Passion. Suddenly the name didn’t seem so random.

A griffon darted past, taking a swipe at her with a demented grin. Twilight let out a shout and flapped, barely escaping as she twirled wildly in the winds. She couldn’t dodge these… these perverts forever! She kept trying, calling for help and knowing Sunset wouldn’t be able to hear. She had to get out, but with no way of controlling her flight she didn’t know what to do!

Something hit her from behind, and she felt it latch onto her wings. She couldn’t flap; whatever it was had a tight grip. She glanced back to see another griffon holding on to her back, this one male. She screamed and tried to buck him off, but he held on and managed to press himself against her back. “Get off me!”

The griffon caught her jaw in a claw and lowered his head next to hers. “I like your colors…” He licked her cheek with a sandpapery tongue, the act making Twilight’s stomach churn. She focused her magic, a violet ball appearing between them and exploding. The griffon was knocked away, Twilight screeching as the griffon’s claws ripped through her wing. The jolt had sent her flying, too, and next thing she knew she was out of the tornado.

Twilight’s eyes went wide; the world below was little more than a black abyss. She was still caught in the outer winds of the vortex, flying wide circles about the twister as her body toppled head over hooves. With every pass she just barely missed the stone walls, but she didn’t dare open her wings for fear of being sucked back in.

She spotted the bridge, which had somehow ended up beneath her. The black clouds of Sombra were roiling from the tunnel on one side, but he hadn’t left his territory. Twilight lost sight of the bridge as she went about the Winds of Passion once more, legs kicking as she struggled to find some way to ease her flight path. “Come on… Come on…”

The bridge came into view again. This time she tried to scour it for any sign of Sunset. There was none. Goddess, what if she’d fallen off, too?

Another pass as she fell, the winds outside the tornado not strong enough to lift her but keeping her descent slow. Another pass, and another. Twilight cringed, knowing she’d never get anywhere if she couldn’t use her wings. There was no choice; she opened them and tried to flap away from the tornado.

She tucked her wings in when the Winds of Passion nearly caught her up a second time and tried again when she was closer to the wall. She could fly out as long as she was near the wall, but that wasn’t helping her too much. Maybe, if she could fly to the distance of the bridge, she could land on it…

At first the plan seemed to work, and a smidgeon of hope filled her. If she could just get to the bridge! That was her salvation, and she focused everything on that hope. Wings flapping when near the walls, closed when over the crevasse. She could handle it, she could!

...she couldn’t.

Twilight misjudged and flew too far out. She realized it and tried to flap backward, but it was too late; she smashed into the wall on her open wing, the audible snap muted only by her agonized scream. She tumbled, tears in her eyes as the wounded appendage swung limply in the gusts. With no means of correcting her flight, she found herself whacking the opposite wall and falling a bit further. Pain seared through her body, but it was nothing compared to the agony of her wing.

Was this it? Was she about to be beaten to death between the walls of a crevasse, little more than a bloody smear on the rocks? A terrible sense of dread filled her as she hit the wall a third time. What could she do? What?

If only she could have squeezed in a few more lessons with Rainbow…

She caught sight of the tunnel just before whacking the wall above it. She was hurting and desperate, but she recognized her only chance. As she swung about the Winds of Passion for what seemed like the hundredth time to crash into the opposite wall, she tried to focus on her front hooves. She had to time it right. If she missed…

The tunnel at the edge of the bridge came into view. Twilight flapped her good wing, pulling away just a little from the tornado. She flipped and spun wildly, but she focused as hard as she could on that tunnel. She hit the wall and reached…

Her hooves caught the edge. For several seconds she hung on for dear life, the gusts keeping her body horizontal. Tears in her eyes, she strained to pull herself forward. Her legs ached from the effort, but she managed to get her chin across the corner.

There was Sunset, cowering a short ways inside the cave.

“Sunset!”

The mare looked up, eyes wide at the sight of Twilight.

“Help me!”

Sunset hesitated, leaning back with hooves raised in a fretful position. “I… I don’t…”

“Please!” Twilight was pulled back by a strong gust, her chin pressing against the wall in a desperate attempt to improve her hold. “Sunset, help me!”

Sunset winced, eyes darting between Twilight and the bridge. Twilight slipped and screamed.

The sound jolted Sunset into action. She ran for Twilight, dodging a black beam as she did. Twilight struggled to hold on, but her grip was failing. She saw Sunset dancing to avoid more of Sombra’s attacks from across the bridge. “H-hurry… I can’t hold on!”

Her chin slipped over the edge, her hooves the only thing keeping her on the wall. Tears welled in her eyes as she watched more beams firing from the tunnel opposite the bridge. She issued a small prayer to Celestia and closed her eyes. Her friends… she just wanted to see her friends again…

Something grabbed her hooves and she was being pulled in. Air she’d not known she was holding burst out of her lungs. As soon as she was on solid ground she flopped to her belly and kissed the floor.

“No time!” Sunset dragged Twilight to her hooves. “Run, for buck’s sake!”

Twilight ran. Though her legs screamed in protest and her wing swung agonizingly with each step, she ran. The ponies fled into the tunnel, their escape punctuated by the furious roar of King Sombra, First Lord of Tartarus.